in the kitchen lately

I have been so busy lately.  Work and then writing my dissertation proposal during my time off...  Recently, I finally got to bake something in my new kitchen.  I can't believe how I dealt with my tiny kitchen before.  I made these delicious 'magic muffins' and they are healthy and energizing.  Somehow, I used All the space on All of my counters to make them.  Besides enjoying the counter space while I cook, I love to sit at our little bench-like table, overlooking our pretty backyard.  I can eat here or read the paper or compute!  On the weekends, I could literally spend all day in my sunny kitchen!!

In the kitchen lately:

• farmers' market fruit ice cream (Peach ice cream and blueberry frozen yogurt)
• A lot tabouleh (recent studies found that parsley kicks breast cancers' you know what)
• Asian inspired vegetarian meals - one with gluten: Mike's favorite/the meal we had on our first date, back in the summer of 2006! Made these last night. 
• magic muffins from this lovely magazine 
• smoothies with berries, yogurt, little cacao, and a handful of CSA red-stemmed spinach!
• farmers' market veggie sandwiches - yum - i love the garden state at this time of year - there are no better tomoatoes or blueberries.  

{this moment}

A ritual inspired by SouleMama:

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

sunday stills

Inspired by an old friend from college times...a sunday still life:

A random sunday errand and browsing through old, cheap (musty smelling ) records on the street. 

The to-do list always seems so long on the weekends. And then, all of a sudden, it is Monday morning...it is nice to savor the calm, slower moments of the weekend.  

{this moment}

A ritual inspired by SouleMama:

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

weekend by the sea

last weekend was wonderful.  a night and day in mystic, by the ocean.  another night and day and a half in newport by the ocean.  my nephew's first birthday party on the way home! 

we went to mystic for a night, to break up the trip and ended up sitting on the porch, staring at the ocean the entire day.  my brother made a short visit and we squeezed in a dinner with the parents. 

my friend and her husband invited us to spend the weekend in newport, in a family house on the water. they spoiled us and gave us the room with the best view, full of large windows overlooking the ocean.  when we went to sleep, the moon was shining down on the water; amazing! it was difficult to close your eyes to go to sleep!  farmer's market, delicious lunch, visit from sister in law and nephew, who is crawling all over the place, dinner out, and breakfast by the sea.  on the way home, we stopped to celebrate my nephew's first birthday, and got to see just about the whole family.  it was a fabulously perfect weekend. 

first cupcake!

from my bedroom!

still settling in...

it took a little longer than i expected to fully unpack and feel set in our new home.  my closet is still a mess, and a few spots need more work, but we are just about there.  i do love our new kitchen and our backyard is beautiful. i have started my gardening back there. some cucumbers, swiss chard, patio tomato, and some of my favorite flowers.  the big garden at nancy's is getting there as well, but slowly...

i have been trying to get back into a routine of yoga and breathing and attempting to get back to those healthy foods.  it is difficult sometimes, which the chemo drugs.  often, i just want to eat cereal, three meals a day.  i am trying to ease back into juicing.  the green ones are just too much for my tummy to handle on top of the chemo but this was delicous: watermelon cucumber carrot juice.

wow!

busy bee lately. work, school, garden, trying to exercise more. oh, and summer is here! more soon...

{this moment}

A friday ritual inspired by SouleMama:

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.